Walter's Hot Dogs opens today in Stamford at 200 Commons Park South at Harbor Point. This 100-year-old hot dog institution is serious business and has ton of accolades. At the Stamford location, customers can expect all the good stuff that’s made Walter’s a popular destination for locals and tourists alike; curly fries, fried potato puffs, homemade hand-scooped ice cream and Italian ice, and funnel cake fries dusted with powdered sugar. Additionally, you’ll be able to enjoy a Walter’s item that was previously only available on their food trucks, the Puffy Dog, a hot dog (or double it, if you dare) served with fried and smashed potato puffs in the bun.
Here's our list of our favorite Taco Restaurants & Trucks in Connecticut. Feel free to add your favorites to the list below.
Rincon Taqueria (493 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk) From the owners of Bistro du Soleil in SoNo comes a menu that includes Huevas Rancheros, Burritos, Chilaquiles, Tacos, Empanadas, Tamales and a Chicken Quesadilla. All of their dishes pack great flavors. Mix and match the tacos, from Baja fish to pork, empanadas, generous portions. Fresh ingredients and complimentary yellow rice and beans. Pretty small deli-like space and BYOB.
Tacos Mexico (82 Fort Point St., Norwalk) Enchiladas, grilled specialities, lots of shrimp dishes, chipotle chicken tacos and the hot sauce is HOT-consider yourself warned, so you made need an Orange-Ginger Mojito (muy bueno). Plain from the outside, but pleasant inside, and very reasonably priced. Parking can be tricky. http://tacosmexicollc.com
Chango Rosa (1 Union Pl, Hartford ) This fun casual restaurant and cocktail bar serves a fusion of authentic Latin American street foods and the popular smoked meats from Bear's Smokehouse. The menu features foods such as empanadas, enchiladas, arepas, and tacos! The meats are divine. https://changorosa.com/
You could speed right through the Broad River section of Norwalk and not even know Antojos was there. Being from Norwalk, and still residing here, I pride myself on knowing what’s in the area, but this small Colombian restaurant that opened last December was off my radar until recently. If not for a couple of friends—both of whom are Colombian—who posted mouthwatering photos and their own rave reviews of Antojos, I still might not have noticed Antojos as it sits in the corner of one of New Canaan Avenue’s strip malls, in the space that was formerly Lou’s Pizza.
Antojos is a small spot, with seating for maybe 25 customers. There’s booth seating on one side of each table, with cushy pillows for added back comfort, and chairs on the other side for non-booth loving people. Also, there’s a wooden bin of silverware on each table, so you won’t have to bother asking for an extra fork or spoon should you require a fresh one, or for sharing purposes. Walk in, have a seat, and you’ll promptly be greeted with fast, friendly service.
When I was a student at Cornell, Wings Over Ithaca was a staple. As I’ve spoken to more people over the years from various universities, I’ve learned that my experience was not unique. “Wings Over” locations span the country, often setting up shop in college towns. With Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University, Fairfield seems like a logical fit.
The latest “Wings Over” location can be found out 2075 Black Rock Turnpike,
When I was a student at Cornell, Wings Over Ithaca was a staple. As I’ve spoken to more people over the years from various universities, I’ve learned that my experience was not unique. “Wings Over” locations span the country, often setting up shop in college towns. With Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University, Fairfield seems like a logical fit.
The latest “Wings Over” location can be found out 2075 Black Rock Turnpike, a space Robert Savin, owner, had his eye on for a couple of years. “Wings Over” is a national franchise broken up into smaller sections. Savin and his company, Savin Foods, is responsible for 10 “Wings Over” locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Savin also oversees Park & Oak in West Hartford.
“Wings Over” is a national franchise broken up into smaller sections. Savin and his company, Savin Foods, is responsible for 10 “Wings Over” locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Savin also oversees Park & Oak in West Hartford.
I will always remember the smell of orzo pasta in a pot of boiling water with a bouillon cube and an unhealthy amount of butter that came wafting from my Oma’s kitchen. It is one of those homey scents which flashes me back to that ripe old age of four where everything was fun, fresh, and free and I was innocent and invincible. While sitting in Bobby B's Roti Shop in Bridgeport, waiting for my meal, I noticed many people walking to the doorway, stopping, and taking a long inhale which ended with a broad young smile stretched across their face. It peaked my curiosity to know what they were feeling, and they all said, “Home.” Bobby B’s is a restaurant in Bridgeport serving curries, roti, and jerk straight from the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago.
After being closed for 13 years, a Stratford legend has returned!
Finally, and to much anticipation, Cricket Car Hop has reemerged in Lordship over Independence Day weekend to sling burgers, fries, shakes, and foot longs once again.
The original, which opened in the mid-1950s, closed in 2004, and was located on Main Street, almost exactly a mile away from where they are now on Access Road. Running the show at the sequel version of the popular hot dog hut is co-owner Stacy DiCostanzo—who worked as a cook at Cricket from 1980 until it closed—and her husband, Ron, who handles day-to-day general manager duties.
Connecticut Magazine recently rounded up the Best Diners in CT. Here's the list...
What makes a diner a diner? Is it stainless steel? A counter and stools? A building that’s been manufactured in a different location? Breakfast service 24 hours a day? To some devotees of the classic American diner, it is all of these things, and more. We’ve elected to be a bit more inclusive in our requirements. For us, a diner must offer typical American fare at reasonable prices in a comfortable setting, and perhaps most importantly, serve breakfast during all hours of operation. So get ready to hit the road to check out our picks for the best diners in Connecticut. Whether it’s the stellar food, the glistening metal, the glowing neon or the community feel, all have something to offer.
Get ready, Stamford, an almost 100-year-old hot dog institution, with a ton of accolades, is opening just in time for your summer sausage eating pleasure. Walter’s Hot Dogs is set to split, grill, and slather up their famed franks in early to mid-August, located in the space by the fountain in Commons Park, previously occupied by Mr. Frosty’s and The Hut. The Harbor Point edition of Walter’s is their second big reveal in just a few months as they announced a White Plains location would be opening sometime this fall.
To celebrate National Lobster day on June 15 — the perfect kickoff to summer — we’ve highlighted our top picks for hot lobster rolls that we’ve tried and tested over the years. The simple yet perfect dish of buttery lobster meat stuffed in a bun is best eaten in its classic presentation — with a side of melted butter, cole slaw and possibly even French fries.
The 2017 edition features all of our past favorites plus new additions from southeastern Connecticut where views of the Long Island Sound enjoyed with your meal add to the summertime ambiance.
2017 was a good year for burger lovers in Southwest CT. A closing (Fleisher's Craft Kitchen) and a fire (The National) have sadly removed two of 2016’s winning burgers from contention in our 2017 edition of Top Ten Burgers in Southwest CT. Nonetheless, the local burger scene remains vibrant, inventive, and ever evolving. So we happily welcome three new, mouthwatering iterations to our 2017 Top Ten Burgers list.
We sampled over 75 burgers to arrive at this list. Our rankings this year are focused exclusively on the sandwich and its ingredients alone, not the accompanying sides.
The day started with snow flurries in Denver, pre-dawn, long week, long flight, two hours from Kennedy to CT. When my wife asked where we should eat, the temptation for a culinary transport to the Caribbean was too much to resist. After a quick drive to SONO, we were seated at one of my favorite restaurants, Harlan Publick, where Chef Kamal Rose is still creating magical combinations, balancing the spiciness of the Islands, with a delicate focus on subtleness.
For me, it's hard not to be attracted to the scent of frying empanadas and Puerto Rican music which is why I found myself gravitating towards Pito Sofrito today. Pito Sofrito is a mobile food truck located in Stamford. CT and usually hangs around Atlantic and Bell street near the Veterans Park during lunch hours. They are serving up fresh, authentic Puerto Rican cuisine to the masses and we just can't get enough. The proprietors of the truck are two Puerto Rican natives who grew up cooking in the kitchen with their grandmother and mother which after all is where all great recipes, memories, and traditions are born. They came over in 2003 and made the intrepid plunge into the food truck industry just six months ago and have experienced great success.
They say that all good things must come to an end... After 60+ years in the city of Norwalk, and in our family...the Renzuella/ Satterfield family have decided to close the doors of The Original Swanky Franks... the sign on the door says it all...
This was posted to Facebook by Swanky Franks on May 6th. The shock and sadness felt by CT hot dog lovers and generations of guests who have fond memories of this classic roadside dive, was quite simply...palpable.
CTbites spoke with Swanky Frank's owner Traci Satterfield Meriwether (whose grandfather purchased Swanky's in 1959). Merriwether said that while the decision to close the business was difficult, her reasons for shutting the doors for the last time were simple. "The biggest reason my husband and I decided to close was to get to spend more time with our 3 year old daughter. The restaurants business is not the easiest place to be if you have family."
There are those who say pigs don’t fly…. They’ve never had Killer B’s Bacon Flight where thick cut strips of bacon arrive attached to a clothing wire, juices dripping, only to come flying immediately off. I really intended to have just one bite…
Killer B recently opened in South Norwalk, and stands for Beer, Bourbon, Bacon and Burgers – and with that I will tell you that this bacon, offered in such flavors as bourbon, butterscotch, fire, honey and orange, was indeed “killer.” Take a bite and you soon realize this ain’t no grocery store bacon.
Layla's Falafel, with their delicious and authentic Middle Eastern menu, is opening in Westport in late April. Offering a full menu of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, Layla’s (named for its owner) serves up well-priced, flavorful and fresh fare. Ideal for takeout, a quick lunch or a pre-movie pit-stop, it’s a solid alternative to your standard takeout repertoire. Previously only found on Black Rock Tpke, their new location will be across from Stop N Shop at 1537 Post Road East in Westport.
"When I was first looking for a location, I didn't even want a place with a kitchen." It's not what you expect to hear from the owner of a bar which has become more famous for food than its drinks. When Bronx-native Jay Carlucci bought the Dew Drop Inn in 2006, "I just wanted a neighborhood bar, I wasn't even looking north of White Plains." One major reinvention and many smaller renovations later, the Dew Drop is a linchpin of both the restaurant and social scenes in Derby, and a regular top three finisher in every list of the best wing spots in Connecticut.
"It was rough then, but it was definitely a local hangout, a neighborhood bar." His vision was to take the concept and make it better. Within the first few months every light beer was taken off the menu, and Carlucci heard about it: 'You're crazy, you didn't make money in the valley selling new beers.'
I am originally from India so I am always game for some Indian food. Sadly, Connecticut doesn’t have that many Indian restaurants. Of the ones I have tried thus far, I find myself recommending the same 2-3 places to everyone who asks. For a proper sit-down experience, I really enjoy Chef Prasad Chirnomoula’s INDIA restaurant in New Canaan (and now his new location in West Hartford). For a delicious fast-food, grab-and-go experience, Gopinath Nair’s Tikkaway in New Haven is a sure bet. Finally, for an in-between experience that is good for casual eat-in or take-out, I highly recommend Royal Guard in Norwalk.
And then, I happened upon Chutni Biryani & Noodle Bar…. totally by accident. It was during a cozy dinner with my honey at Mason-Dixon Smokehouse in Stamford a few months ago… we were seated right by the window overlooking the line of restaurants across the street. What a peculiar concept I thought…. a Biryani AND Noodle Bar…. say what?!
If you’re in the mood for simple, kid-friendly, tasty Thai, then hop in your tuk tuk and head over to WHOOPI for authentic, Thai cuisine on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield. Owners Tom and Helen Chaimahavong opened their latest haunt (named for their son whose nickname is Whoopi) mid 2015 and are the former owners of THAISAB in New Haven. Natives of Bangkok, Tom and Helen have mastered the ins and outs of their native cuisine while keeping dishes simple and novice-friendly. WHOOPI is not fancy Thai, and it’s not for the super adventurous; it is simply yummy Thai fare that is great for lunch with the kids, a laid back dinner with friends or a great take-out/delivery option. The space is small but cozy and we enjoyed our meal! Here is how it went down…
It would be easy to drive by Yao’s Diner in Orange without a second glance. Housed at the end of a small shopping plaza, the restaurant which features authentic Chinese cuisine is unassuming on the outside and equally unpresumptuous within but from the time you step into the foyer you get a sense that this eatery is something different.
The first restaurant by Guangmin Yao and his wife Xuan Chen, Yao’s occupies the space that was Lisiano’s Italian restaurant for thirty years. Silent partners Charles Eaton and his wife are proprietors of the popular Q’s in Norwalk. The pair are world travelers with a passion for authentic East Asian cuisines.
If Middletown had a taste, it would be Jerry’s Pizza. And if Jerry’s has a signature dish, it is undoubtedly the locally famous white Sicilian pizza. Nothing speaks to the Italian — and specifically Sicilian — identity of the city like this dish. The intense flavor of the pizza is no joke: you either love it or hate it, and those who love it, really, really love it. So much so, in fact, that you have to plan your day around it. The specially made dough for the white Sicilian takes roughly two hours to rise properly. The pizzeria has been around since 1968, when it was opened by Jerry Schiano, an Italian immigrant from Naples. Though Jerry is now retired, his daughter Carmela Lockwood operates the restaurant, and says the recipe comes from her grandmother, who used to make the dish back in Italy. (Her family is not Sicilian, but the style of thick dough is distinctively from the island.)
